Description

This new updated edition of How the Swans Came to the Lake includes much new information about recent events in Buddhist groups in America and discusses such issues as spiritual authority, the role of women, and social action.

About the author

Rick Fields (1942–1999) is the author of several books, including Chop Wood, Carry Water and The Code of the Warrior. He has served as the editor of The Vajradhatu Sun, an international journal of Buddhism (now Shambhala Sun), and as the editor-at-large of Tricycle: A Buddhist Review.

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4.4

7 total

Francesca Hampton

Review: How the Swans Came to the Lake A fascinating account of the coming of Buddhism to the west. You might be surprised how early it started! Focused with most detail on Zen Buddhism but it covers Tibetan and other forms as well. Includes startling life stories of unique individuals who have made a difference in this saga.

Peter Michael

Review: How the Swans Came to the Lake Rick Fields provides the best account yet of Buddhism in America and its particular appeal which makes it among the country's fastest growing religions.

Edward A.

Review: How the Swans Came to the Lake Definitive survey of American Buddhism.

Deborah J.

Review: How the Swans Came to the Lake The author tends to lean more towards Taosim and Zen Buddhism than any other, but there aren't many books out there like this one, so it's worth reading if you're interested in the history of Buddhism entering into the Western world.

Thain

Review: How the Swans Came to the Lake A fascinating look at Buddhism in America which has been here longer than one would think.

Sara Gray

Review: How the Swans Came to the Lake This was a fascinating general survey of the history of Buddhism in America, from the Transcendentalists and Theosophists all the way to modern-day groups. It was inclusive of immigrant Asian ...

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Francesca Hampton

Goodreads

Review: How the Swans Came to the Lake A fascinating account of the coming of Buddhism to the west. You might be surprised how early it started! Focused with most detail on Zen Buddhism but it covers Tibetan and other forms as well. Includes startling life stories of unique individuals who have made a difference in this saga.

Review: How the Swans Came to the Lake The author tends to lean more towards Taosim and Zen Buddhism than any other, but there aren't many books out there like this one, so it's worth reading if you're interested in the history of Buddhism entering into the Western world.

Review: How the Swans Came to the Lake This was a fascinating general survey of the history of Buddhism in America, from the Transcendentalists and Theosophists all the way to modern-day groups. It was inclusive of immigrant Asian ...

Instructions To The Cook is a distillation of Zen wisdom that can be used equally well as a manual on business or spiritual practice, cooking or life. The hardcover edition was featured in every major Buddhist magazine. "Be nourished and inspired! Magnificent work!"--Jon Kabat-Zinn.

Over the past half century, Buddhism has grown from a transplanted philosophy to a full-fledged religious movement in America, rich in its own practices, leaders, adherents, and institutions. Long favored as an essential guide to this history, Buddhism in America covers the three major groups shaping the tradition—an emerging Asian immigrant population, native-born converts, and old-line Asian American Buddhists—and their distinct yet spiritually connected efforts to remake Buddhism in a Western context. This edition updates existing text and adds three new essays on contemporary developments in American Buddhism, particularly the aging of the baby boom population and its effect on American Buddhism’s modern character. New material includes revised information on the full range of communities profiled in the first edition; an added study of a second generation of young, Euro-American leaders and teachers; an accessible look at the increasing importance of meditation and neurobiological research; and a provocative consideration of the mindfulness movement in American culture. The volume maintains its detailed account of South and East Asian influences on American Buddhist practices, as well as instances of interreligious dialogue, socially activist Buddhism, and complex gender roles within the community. Introductory chapters describe Buddhism’s spread across America, arriving with the nineteenth-century transcendentalists and spreading rapidly with the Beat poets of the 1950s. The volume concludes with a frank assessment of the challenges and prospects of American Buddhism in the twenty-first century.

In "Luminous Passage" a well-known Buddhologist and longtime observer of Buddhism in the United States presents the first comprehensive scholarly study of American Buddhism in nearly two decades. Charles S. Prebish revisits the expanding frontier of the fastest growing religion in North America and describes its historical development, its diversity, and the significance of this ancient tradition at century's end.More than anything else, this is a book about American Buddhist communities ("sanghas") and about life within those communities. Prebish considers various Buddhist practices, rituals, and liturgies, as well as the ways these communities have confronted the changing American spiritual landscape. In profiling several different "sanghas" Prebish reveals the ways that Buddhism is being both reinvented and Westernized. He includes the first exploration of the American Buddhist "cybersangha," a community that has emerged from recent developments in information-exchange technology, and discusses the growing community of "scholar-practitioners." The interactions of Buddhist identities that are related to ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, social engagement, and the healing professions are also examined. This book fully captures the vibrancy and importance of Buddhism in American religious life today.Finally, Prebish appraises the state of Buddhism at the millennium. Placing the development of American Buddhism squarely in the midst of the religion's general globalization, he argues for an ecumenical movement which will embrace Buddhist communities worldwide.

From the outside, Buddhism seems like a bundle of contradictions wrapped inside a paradox. It is a religion without a god, a belief system without rules, and a faith that encourages its adherents to question everything, including its own teachings. You could spend a lifetime studying Buddhist texts and following its observances and still feel like you’ve only just barely scratched the surface. Yet, over the past 2500 years, this lovely religion that preaches compassion, generosity, tolerance, selflessness and self-awareness has commanded the fervent devotion of hundreds of millions of people around the world who believe it to be the true path to enlightenment.

If you’re curious about Buddhism but feel intimidated by all the exotic jargon and strange trappings, this book is for you. Written by two leading American Buddhist teachers and scholars, it offers you a uniquely friendly way to explore the fascinating history of Buddhism and discover:

Who Buddha was and his significance in world history and spirituality How the practice of Buddhism can enrich your everyday life How Buddha’s teachings combine to create a path to enlightenment Daily observances and meditation practices How to fulfill your highest potential through Buddhism

In plain English, experts Jonathan Landaw and Stephan Bodian define the important terms, explain the key concepts and explore, in-depth a wide range of topics, including:

Buddha’s life and teachings and the evolution of the major Buddhist traditions How Buddhism works as a religion, philosophy of life and a practical approach to dealing with life’s problems, all rolled into one The idea that the mind is the source of all happiness and suffering How the practices of wisdom and compassion can connect you with your inner spiritual resources Meditation and other core Buddhist practices and how they can affect your everyday life How to apply Buddhist teachings at each stage along the spiritual path

Whether you’re a searcher of truth, a student of religions, or just curious about what’s got Richard Gere and all the rest of those celebrity Buddhists so excited, Buddhism For Dummies is your intro to Buddhism basics.

In recent years, more and more people have been turning to Buddhist ethics for a greater understanding of themselves and their place in the world. The religion's principles of nonviolence, mindfulness, and self-awareness have resonated among those who feel increasingly distracted and conflicted in their daily lives. You can also take advantage of the ancient teachings of the Buddha and apply them to your own life to achieve clarity and inner calm. The Everything Buddhism Book walks you through the rich traditions and history of the Buddhist faith, while providing a straightforward approach to its ideological foundations. You will learn about the power of karma, the practice of Zen, and the notion of nirvana. Special features include: the life of Buddha and his influence throughout the world; descriptions of the definitive Buddhist texts and their significance; Buddhist ceremonies and celebrations; what the Buddhist teachings say about education, marriage, sex, and death; and even more!

In America today, for the first time in world history, every major form of Buddhism is practiced in one nation. Buddhist Faith in America describes how this ancient faith has been as deeply affected by America as America has been affected by it.

Drawn from the archives of major Zen centers in America and interviews with some of the most seminal figures of American Zen, including Philip Kapleau, Bernie Glassman, Gary Snyder, and Walter Nowick, One Bird, One Stone presents the notable encounters between teachers and students, the moments of insight and wisdom, the quotable quotes, and the humor of Zen as it has flowered in America over the last one hundred-plus years.

Murphy, a Zen student and an accomplished writer, conducted numerous personal interviews and distilled over one hundred pithy stories. He covers Zen masters Suzuki, Maezumi, Seung Sahn, Robert Aitken, and Philip Kapleau along with earnest students Gary Snyder, Alan Watts, and Philip Whalen and others.

Saicho (767-822), the founder of the Tendai School, is one of the great masters of Japanese Buddhism. This edition, which includes a new preface by the author, makes available again a classic work on this important figure's life and accomplishments. Groner's study focuses on Saicho's founding of the great monastic center on Mount Hiei, the leading religious institution of medieval Japan, and his radical move to adopt for purposes of ordination the Mahayana bodhisattva precepts -- a decision that had far-reaching consequences for the future of Japanese Buddhist ethical thought, monastic training and organization, lay-clerical relations, philosophical developments, and Buddhism-state relations.

Instructions To The Cook is a distillation of Zen wisdom that can be used equally well as a manual on business or spiritual practice, cooking or life. The hardcover edition was featured in every major Buddhist magazine. "Be nourished and inspired! Magnificent work!"--Jon Kabat-Zinn.

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